Man charged with trying to lure girl, 14, using social media

A 49-year-old Schaumburg man has been charged with attempting to lure a 14-year-old girl to a hotel room by sending her explicit messages on social media sites and by texting, authorities said.

Bond for Michael Cozza, of the 1100 block of Regency Court, was set at $250,000 today in the Rolling Meadows branch Cook County Circuit Court. He was charged with indecent solicitation of a child and “grooming” a child, which refers to making sexual advances to a minor.

Authorities said Cozza knew the girl through friends and began sending her messages on Facebook and Twitter. In one instance, he invited her to go to dinner and in another he invited her to a hotel room that had a hot tub, said Assistant State’s Attorney Shilpa Patel.

Cozza told the girl to bring a swimming suit to the hotel, Shilpa said. Both invitations occurred in the first week of August, the prosecutor said.

The girl, also from Schaumburg, told her parents about the messages and they called police, Shilpa said. Cozza was arrested Wednesday.

Cozza’s next court date is Aug. 29. Both charges are class 4 felonies, punishable by up to three years in prison or probation.